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Craft Brewing and Distilling News for November 27, 2013

•Delaware craft brewer Dogfish Head is taking its Namaste Belgian-style white beer year-round. Namaste (4.8%-abv) was previously an occasional release packaged only in 750-ml. bottles. Starting next year it will be sold in six-packs of 12-ounce bottles across Dogfish Head’s distribution footprint. Also going year-round in 2014 is Dogfish Head’s gluten-free Tweason’ale, a 6%-abv brew packaged in four-packs of 12-ounce bottles. Additionally, Dogfish Head says it will be bringing back its Raison D’Extra beer next year, moving Raison D’Etre to draft only, and at least temporarily eliminating its Immort Ale, Chateau Jiahu, My Antonia or Black & Blue labels.

•San Diego’s Karl Strauss Brewing has unveiled the latest entry in its limited edition 12 Days Of Christmas series, Four Scowling Owls Holiday Tripel. A 9%-abv Belgian-style brew, Four Scowling Owls is brewed with Mt. Rainier hops and pale and Vienna malts, as well as Belgian candy sugar. The offering, which marks the fourth installment in Karl Strauss’s 12 Days collection, can either be consumed right away or set aside and enjoyed in a vertical tasting at the end of the series. Available in 22-ounce bottles and on draft throughout California, Four Scowling Owls follows Parrot in a Palm Tree Baltic Porter, Two Tortugas Belgian Quad and Mouette a Trois Holiday Fruitcake Ale in the 12 Days Of Christmas lineup.

•Georgia-based Richland Distilling Company has completed an expansion project, including the addition of a new barrelhouse to increase aging capacity as well as an “Experience Center” and tasting room. Richland Distilling founder Erik Vonk says the investment will allow the company to meet robust demand for its small-batch Richland Rum, which is sourced from its own estate and sells at around $52-$55 a bottle. With current distribution across Georgia and Tennessee, Richland expects to produce 6,000 nine-liter cases in 2014.